Narrative:

IFR filed plan from esn to gai (eastern, md to gaithersburg, md) which has gai in washington ADIZ. Controller was busy. I had VFR pilot checking out in high performance aircraft. Controller asked if I was 'familiar.' I asked, 'with what?' controller said 'cancellation procedure.' I said, 'yes.' when gai was in sight, we requested lower altitude. ATC granted and gave us visual and I said we would maintain 'squawk to ground.' I got busy with the 'slam dunk' approach (visual) by trainee. Landed without event but didn't cancel IFR until we had pushed aircraft back into its tie-down (less than 10 mins). I canceled with potomac clearance on ground remote which is standard and they acknowledged. We usually cancel on the taxiway. I dropped the ball, probably, because I had flown into this airport about 4 times in the past week VFR with an ADIZ transponder code which is maintained to the ground. But, VFR, there is nothing to cancel. I believe it is worth ATC communication time to reiterate 'cancel in the air or on the ground' on parting communication to aircraft. No damage or delays done here, but the area is busy and 10 min canceling delays would be a problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA28 CFI DID NOT CANCEL IFR FLT PLAN IN A TIMELY FASHION WHEN OPERATING WITHIN THE DC ADIZ, AND IN A NON TWRED ARPT.

Narrative: IFR FILED PLAN FROM ESN TO GAI (EASTERN, MD TO GAITHERSBURG, MD) WHICH HAS GAI IN WASHINGTON ADIZ. CTLR WAS BUSY. I HAD VFR PLT CHKING OUT IN HIGH PERFORMANCE ACFT. CTLR ASKED IF I WAS 'FAMILIAR.' I ASKED, 'WITH WHAT?' CTLR SAID 'CANCELLATION PROC.' I SAID, 'YES.' WHEN GAI WAS IN SIGHT, WE REQUESTED LOWER ALT. ATC GRANTED AND GAVE US VISUAL AND I SAID WE WOULD MAINTAIN 'SQUAWK TO GND.' I GOT BUSY WITH THE 'SLAM DUNK' APCH (VISUAL) BY TRAINEE. LANDED WITHOUT EVENT BUT DIDN'T CANCEL IFR UNTIL WE HAD PUSHED ACFT BACK INTO ITS TIE-DOWN (LESS THAN 10 MINS). I CANCELED WITH POTOMAC CLRNC ON GND REMOTE WHICH IS STANDARD AND THEY ACKNOWLEDGED. WE USUALLY CANCEL ON THE TXWY. I DROPPED THE BALL, PROBABLY, BECAUSE I HAD FLOWN INTO THIS ARPT ABOUT 4 TIMES IN THE PAST WEEK VFR WITH AN ADIZ XPONDER CODE WHICH IS MAINTAINED TO THE GND. BUT, VFR, THERE IS NOTHING TO CANCEL. I BELIEVE IT IS WORTH ATC COM TIME TO REITERATE 'CANCEL IN THE AIR OR ON THE GND' ON PARTING COM TO ACFT. NO DAMAGE OR DELAYS DONE HERE, BUT THE AREA IS BUSY AND 10 MIN CANCELING DELAYS WOULD BE A PROB.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.